A decades-spanning Brazilian film that's literally elemental, "The House of Sand" dramatizes survival (physical, emotional) in a landscape at its most ferocious: blinding sun, deafening lightning storms, bone whipping wind. Oh, and sand. Sand that buries houses, burrows into clothes and burns the eye with its endless, blazing whiteness. Read the full review
Aurea's saga starts in 1910, when, in pursuing a dream she never shared, she arrives in a caravan at a labyrinth of sand in Maranhao, northern Brazil. Her husband, Vasco, believes this land to be prosperous and she is condemned to a life in this barren place. Pregnant and dissatisfied with her destiny, she tries everything to find a way out.
Director: Andrucha Waddington
Starring: Fernanda Montenegro, Fernanda Torres, Ruy Guerra, Seu Jorge, Luis Melodia
Run time: 114 minutes
Release date: August 11, 2006
Language: Portuguese with English subtitles
Rating: Rated R for some graphic sexuality.
On the web
Official movie site
View the trailer
Trailers require
Quicktime
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: B+
"... has the simplicity of a fable."
The Palm Beach Post: B
"The performances are searing, as they need to be to compete with Ricardo Della Rosa's poetic cinematography."
The Associated Press: B
"Watching these two women together in this setting isn't just a joy. It's a testament to the power of female strength and loyalty..."
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